The present invention relates generally to diagnostic imaging and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus of high flux rate imaging with energy discrimination, such as in computed tomography (CT) applications.
Exemplary diagnostics devices comprise x-ray systems, magnetic resonance (MR) systems, ultrasound systems, computed tomography (CT) systems, positron emission tomography (PET) systems, and other types of imaging systems. Typically, in CT imaging systems, an x-ray source emits a fan-shaped beam toward a subject or object, such as a patient or a piece of luggage. Hereinafter, the terms “subject” and “object” shall include anything capable of being imaged. The beam, after being attenuated by the subject, impinges upon an array of radiation detectors. The intensity of the attenuated beam radiation received at the detector array is typically dependent upon the attenuation of the x-ray beam by the subject. Each detector element of the detector array produces a separate electrical signal indicative of the attenuated beam received by each detector element. The electrical signals are transmitted to a data processing system for analysis which ultimately produces an image.
Generally, the x-ray source and the detector array are rotated about the gantry opening within an imaging plane and around the subject. X-ray sources typically include x-ray tubes, which emit the x-ray beam at a focal point. X-ray detectors typically include a collimator for collimating x-ray beams received at the detector, a scintillator for converting x-rays to light energy adjacent the collimator, and photodiodes for receiving the light energy from the adjacent scintillator and producing electrical signals therefrom.
Typically, each scintillator of a scintillator array converts x-rays to light energy. Each scintillator discharges light energy to a photodiode adjacent thereto. Each photodiode detects the light energy and generates a corresponding electrical signal. The outputs of the photodiodes are then transmitted to the data processing system for image reconstruction.
An exemplary CT imaging system comprises an energy discriminating (ED) and/or multi energy (ME) CT imaging system that may be referred to as an EDCT and/or MECT imaging system. The EDCT and/or MECT imaging system in an example is configured to be responsive to different x-ray spectra. For example, a conventional third generation CT system acquires projections sequentially at different x-ray tube potentials. Two scans in an example are acquired either back to back or interleaved in which the tube operates at 80 kVp and 160 kVp potentials. Special filters in an example are placed between the x-ray source and the detector such that different detector rows collect projections of different x-ray energy spectra. The special filters that shape the x-ray spectrum in an example can be used for two scans that are acquired either back to back or interleaved. Energy sensitive detectors in an example are used such that each x-ray photon reaching the detector is recorded with its photon energy.
Exemplary ways to obtain the measurements comprise: (1) scan with two distinctive energy spectra, (2) detect photon energy according to the depth from the incident surface for energy deposition in the detector, and (3) photon counting. EDCT/MECT provides energy discrimination and material characterization. For example, in the absence of object scatter, the system derives the behavior at any other energy based on the signal from two regions of photon energy in the spectrum: the low-energy and the high-energy portions of the incident x-ray spectrum. In an exemplary energy region of medical CT, two physical processes dominate the x-ray attenuation: (1) Compton scatter and the (2) photoelectric effect. The detected signals from two energy regions provide sufficient information to resolve the energy dependence of the material being imaged. Furthermore, detected signals from the two energy regions provide sufficient information to determine the relative composition of an object composed of two materials.
The conventional basis material decomposition (BMD) algorithm is based on the concept that in the energy region for medical CT, the x-ray attenuation of any given material can be represented by a proper density mix of two other materials, referred to as the basis materials. Based on the projections acquired at the two incident x-ray spectra, the BMD algorithm computes two sets of new projections, corresponding to two new CT images that each represents the equivalent density of one of the basis materials. Since a material density is independent of x-ray photon energy, these images are approximately free of beam-hardening artifacts. An operator can choose the basis material to target a certain material of interest, for example, to enhance the image contrast.
Photon counting detectors saturate at high count rate due to pile up effects. The flux rate at which the detector saturates can be calculated from the count rate divided by the pixel area. The saturation count rate is inversely proportional to the dead time of the detector. The dead time in a direct conversion layer is determined by charge transport time in the material and is related to the mobility of the material. In a direct conversion detector with a single layer, a common cathode electrode biased at large negative voltage is located on one side of the detector layer. A pixelated anode biased close to ground is located on the other side of the layer. Signals from anode pixels are routed through the substrate and/or circuit board to the readout electronics. Cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) comprise semiconductor materials with high stopping power, for example, x-ray attenuation, but low mobility and long charge transport time. For example, a single layer direct conversion detector of CZT or CdTe with 1.0 to 5.0 mm thickness typically saturates at about one million to ten million counts per sec per millimeter squared. Silicon (Si) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) comprise semiconductor materials with high mobility and short charge transport time, but low x-ray stopping power, for example, x-ray attenuation.
Therefore, it would be desirable to design an apparatus and method to promote high, enhanced, good, improved, and/or increased stopping power and/or mobility in an energy discriminating (ED) detector. It would be further desirable to promote high-speed charge transport substantially without loss in an ED detector. It also would be desirable to provide and/or produce greater, enhanced, increased, and/or improved selectivity between high and low x-ray energy an ED detector. Additionally, it would be desirable to provide and/or produce basis material decomposition (BMD) at lower and/or reduced x-ray dose and/or in shorter and/or reduced exposure time.